Chicago's South Side Left With Few Food Options After Weekend Violence
CHICAGO (CBS) -- It was bad before and it's even worse now.
Food deserts in some South Side communities have even fewer choices for groceries after the weekend's violence.
CBS 2's Marissa Parra has more from Bronzeville with a look at how it's impacting the community.
For neighbors, the Jewel-Osco on 75th is the grocery store. But no longer.
"It's kind of a sad thing to think about," said resident William Wright. "I take my grandma here every Sunday."
On Sunday night, it was ravaged by looters, as you can see by the aftermath captured in video from the next day, leaving neighbors frustrated.
"It's not what you do. It's how do you do it," Wright said. "What did we accomplish, aside from take our property value down and embarrass ourselves?"
Wright, his grandmother and so many around here are trying to figure out which stores on the South Side are even left right now.
Chicago now has food deserts in places that weren't food deserts before.
"Bronzeville Mariano's was looted, the Walmart on 47th was looted. Jewel," said activist William Calloway.
And the food deserts that were there before are worse now.
"Now you have to go out of your way to get this stuff," said activist Emir Lions. "People that don't have a car. People that do not have family and friends."
"Some seniors can't travel," added Calloway.
Instead, CBS 2 saw seniors taking buses, walking miles with only what their hands could carry. Calloway said neighborhoods without access to pharmacies or grocery stores could get worse if the city doesn't find solutions soon.
"If you have people that are hungry, that are quite angry already, that could escalate to something more disastrous," Calloway said.
"The looting and the rioting has nothing to do with the protest, but the rage and despair is what we need to start paying attention to," Lions said. "Because if you don't it's going to continue."
The biggest fear is that some of these stores won't come back. Ald. Leslie Hairston (5th) said she and other aldermen are trying to find solutions.
For example the Walgreens off of Stony Island has a senior living facility across from it. She said they'll soon be doing pharmacy delivery for those who can't cross the street and get their medication anymore.
